Welcome To Hades
by K.Sinclair
Summary: "All roads lead to Hades." Nothing is what it seems, everything is backwards, and the hunters become the hunted. Can Sam figure out what the hell is going on before he gets killed? Alternate Universe Fan Fiction that takes place (timeline-wise) around the season 1-3 range (basically, early days for the Winchesters). [Summary's a bit vague, sorry about that]
1. Chapter 1

**Somewhere in Nevada**

Sweat dripped down Sam's forehead, the stifling heat inside the car was overbearing. He cast a bleary eye over at Dean, who didn't seem to be affected by the intense temperature. Sam let out a ragged sigh, turning his eyes back to the barren fields lining the road. They had been driving for hours looking for a small town ironically named Hades. A fellow hunter, Ellen, had called up looking for a favor. She said there had been unexplained occurrences happening throughout the remote town and that a friend of hers, also a hunter, had told Ellen that he'd found a strange symbol on the wall of an abandoned barn. At the time, that hunter didn't think anything of it; the symbol looked too strange to be anything supernatural oriented. Needless to say, that hunter's been missing for a month.

Sam reached into his jean pocket, extracting the crumpled piece of paper that contained the strange symbol. It was like a pentagram, but with a demonic devil face in the center. Sam had read that pentagrams were pretty potent when used with spells, but it seemed odd to add a demonic devil face into the center. Sam took a deep breath, almost gagging on the molten air that rushed into his lungs. He couldn't take it anymore; Sam reached out to turn on the air conditioning.

"Touch it and die," Dean said, swatting Sam's hand away.

"Dean, I'm dying a slow and fiery death over here," Sam rasped.

"Stop being such a wuss, Sammy," Dean grinned to himself.

"Yeah well, this wuss is frying to death," Sam muttered thickly, again reaching for the air.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, Sam," Dean said ominously.

"Why…ARGH!" Sam yelped as fresh scalding air came through the vent.

"Because the air conditioner's broken," Dean laughed.

"Dean! You…are such a…ass hole," Sam gasped, fanning himself with the small piece of paper that was in his hand.

"And yet you still love me," Dean sang with a sly grin on his face.

"Yeah well, that's bound to change if you keep doing this," Sam grumbled, taking off his shirt to allow some air to hit his skin.

It was two hours later before Dean spotted a small patch of dark on the horizon. He turned his head slightly to see if Sam was awake. The sleeping figure of his brother came into view, sweat beads dripped down Sam's chest as he took in small ragged breaths. Dean felt a little guilty as he gently poked his little brother awake.

"Mmm? Dean, what is it?" Sam whispered sleepily.

"I think we're here, I see the town coming up," Dean stated, pointing at the hazy outline of the town.

"Good, I'd give an arm for air conditioning and some water," Sam mumbled dryly, reaching for his shirt in the back seat.

As the Impala roared into towards the town, the brothers were met with a semi-humorous sight. The town's sign probably at one time had said "Welcome to Hades", but somebody had marked through "Hades" and crudely scribbled "Hell". Therefore making it read "Welcome to Hell". Dean snorted at the lame excuse of a joke, thinking nothing of it. However, Sam creased his eyebrows in apprehension. Something didn't feel right about this town and he felt in his gut somehow this hunt would be like no other; that this town was a hungry demon waiting for foolish wanderers to enter into its grasp.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hades, NV**

The dry dirt and pebbles crunched under Sam's feet as he got out of the car. He felt better now that he'd gotten some water into his system, but still was unable to shake the bad feeling that had been plaguing him ever since they'd arrived. Dean had found a dirty cockroach infested motel to serve as a temporary home while they investigated the town of Hades. Sam gazed at the quaint buildings lining the paved street, surprisingly enough; Hades was a tourist attraction due to the breath-taking scenery that surrounded the small town.

It hadn't taken them long to reach the abandoned farmhouse. Dean opened the trunk and pulled out two salt rifles. Sam could hear him cursing as he touched the burning surface of the black car. Sam took a few steps down the driveway to get a better look at the house's surroundings. Dean came up next to him, passing one of the rifles to Sam before moving off towards the backyard.

"Dean, don't you think this is a little overkill? I mean, we're just going to get a quick look at the symbol. Nothing could happen!" Sam said to his brother's back.

"Better safe than sorry, Sammy. I rather go in knowing I had a little protection than go in and most likely get my face chewed off by a demonic pit bull," Dean muttered to Sam, who was now next to him.

"Yeah, and the odds of getting attacked by a demonic pit bull are?" Sam said, smirking.

"Shut up Sam, you know what I mean," Dean stated, shoving his older brother in the shoulder.

The barn was rickety and reeked of rejected years. Sam watched as Dean tugged the frail doors open with a groan. With his gun ready, Sam cautiously walked into the ancient barn closely followed by Dean.

"Where exactly did Ellen say the symbol was?" Dean whispered, scanning the brittle rafters above.

"Towards the back," Sam said, starting forward again.

"God, this place gives me the heebie-jeebies," Dean mumbled out loud.

Sam grinned at the comment; he knew Dean was nervous when he started using his 'terminology' to describe a situation. They reached another door, the wood suffering from dry rot; Sam tenderly opened it and slowly walked into the dim room. On the wall before Sam and Dean was the demonic pentagram etched with what looked like blood.

"Ok, now how the hell does a hunter not think that this isn't supernatural oriented?" Dean said incredulously.

"I don't know, but the medium used to paint the symbol is still fresh. That can't be right if that hunter discovered it a month ago," Sam said, lightly feeling the painted symbol.

"Here, let me take a closer look," Dean said, coming up behind Sam.

Sam shifted to the doorway, blinking the dust out of his eyes. Dean got close to get a better view of the demonic face in the center. Then, out of nowhere, a sharp pain seared through Sam's head. Was it a vision? No, it couldn't be, it doesn't feel right. His whole body was buzzing with intense pain; Sam felt darkness creeping through his mind. _'How could Dean not notice my pain?'_ Sam thought as he slowly collapsed to the ground. Sam couldn't breathe; he curled up into a fetal position hoping the pain would end. Dean was a dark blur in his eyes, but the symbol wasn't. It stood out like a firebrand, glowing softly before emitting a brilliant flash. Sam couldn't take the pain anymore; he succumbed to a state of unconsciousness as the fiery light washed over him.


	3. Chapter 3

**Somewhere…**

Sam felt cool cement under his cheek; it smelled of mildew and needed a good scrub. This couldn't be the barn; the floor had been covered in muddy cement and dusty straw. Sam's mind replayed what had happened in abrupt flashes, ending with the intense agony and the flash of fiery light before…nothing.

He heard a muffled cough, followed by a shuffling walk towards him. Sam was hesitant to open his eyes, was it Dean? No, it couldn't be…could it? The person stopped beside him and let out a frustrated sigh.

"Hey asshole, wake up before I get one of those demonic dog things to chew you awake," snarled the voice, before sharply kicking Sam in the side.

Sam snapped up, eyes open, and gasping in pain he caught a glimpse of who had kicked him. It was Dean, but not the Dean he knew. This Dean had black hair that framed a hard face. He was wearing all black, silver spike bracelet and skull necklace, ending with black boots. His "brother" regarded Sam with sharp blue eyes, before bending to grab Sam's shirt.

"Hey, I've been freaking calling you for ten minutes, runt. You know what happens when Dean's little bro doesn't come when called? Dean has to come and pick his little Sammy's drunken ass off the ground, therefore making Dean pissed as hell!" Dean shouted at Sam, now standing at an awkward angle.

"I never heard you, Dean! I'm not drunk either!" Sam wheezed through his brother's tight grip around his neck area.

"Yeah, right. Just get your ass out here," Dean growled, dragging Sam behind him.

Sam was confused; this wasn't the place he originally started out in. Where the heck was he? Dean continued to drag him through the dark buildings doorway. Sam noticed the flash of a mirror and caught a glimpse of his reflection. He also had black hair, but it had red streak in it. He was wearing dark clothing trimmed with silver and red. He couldn't recognize himself; he'd never wear anything like this.

Sam turned his attention to his agitated brother still huffing like a mad bull. He needed answers, now.

"Dean, where are we and where are we going?" Sam asked casually to the back of his brother's head.

Dean stopped and spun around to face Sam. He took a step closer to Sam and once again grabbing his little brother's shirt.

"Not drunk, huh? Seriously, you need to lay off those Chaos alcohol drinks," Dean hissed, eyeing Sam.

"I'm not dr…yeah, you're right Dean. I just can't help myself, so will you just tell me what I want to know?" Sam pleaded, hoping the ploy would work.

"Fine, mom called us and said she needed us take care of some 'vermin' that have been crawling around the city. And in case your dumb brain forgot, we're in the city of Hades, ok?" Dean sighed, releasing Sam.

Dean continued his pace, leaving Sam to follow slowly. _'Wait, he said Mom asked us? What happened to Dad? And when did this small town become a city? No matter what I ask, I'll just get more unanswered questions.' _Sam pondered.

The brothers turned into a dark alley, where Dean stooped and pulled two guns from beneath a dumpster. He turned and tossed one to Sam with a grin on his face.

"Alright Sammy, time to go hunting for some vermin. Mom said she'd meet us there once we found 'him', so let's go," Dean said with a smile.

Without waiting for Sam's response, he handed Sam two sheets of small paper both having Demonic inscriptions on them. Sam frowned at them, glancing questioningly at his older brother. However, Dean wasn't paying any attention. He waved Sam to follow him quietly and fast.

What sort of spirit or demon could they be hunting that required they used fully loaded guns and demonic summon spells? It made no sense to Sam, but he didn't dare say anything for fear Dean might do more than a headlock this time. They rounded a corner; Sam caught Dean's face breaking into a grin.

"Alright, time to get rid of those damn hunters and anyone who helps them," Dean chuckled, whipping out his gun.

Dean laughed at Sam's shocked face, jumping out to get a good shot at the fleeing group of people. He fired three shots, nailing two victims in the back. Sam ran out, about to hit Dean; to make him stop. But he stopped, choking back tears of horror. Dean bent down and rolled each over to view their faces.

"Nope, none of these damn vermin are 'him', Sam," Dean murmured, mistaking Sam's gasp for a hopeful sigh.

"Ok Sam, which one you want to use? This one or this one?" Dean smiled playfully.

"Hm, yeah it is a toughy, but I think Mary will do the job," Dean said again misinterpreting Sam's stunned silence.

Dean pulled out one of his Demonic summoning spell inscriptions, mutter something, and hurled into the air.

"Let's go Sam, we don't want her to rip out our eyes," Dean said, tugging Sam to follow.

Everything about this city was wrong. Him and Dean hunting not spirits or demons, but actual hunters! Sam cast a final glance behind him, seeing a dark shadow viciously attacking the fallen hunters.

Maybe this really is hell…


	4. Chapter 4

_Everything felt so wrong, Dean and I…killing hunters? I'm still numb with shock. Dean keeps asking what the hell's wrong with me, but I don't think I even know. Feels like I'm in a nightmare and it's pulling me in so deep… I've got to figure out what the heck going on and fast or I fear I'll never go back to the life I've known…_

**Hades**

Sam stood in the shower, letting the icy water run down his body. He couldn't shake the horror he'd felt when Dean killed those hunters, or as he called them "vermin". The water stung his flesh, icy cold knives attacking from above and yet…he didn't care. Sam turned the knob to stem the flow of frosty water and grabbed for a towel. He caught his reflection again, still not believing the drastic change. He sighed, but jerked when Dean started banging on the door.

"Hey runt, mom wants to meet us to discuss our next hunt! So get your ass out of that crappy bathroom pronto!" Dean yelled through the flimsy door.

"Dammit Dean, some of us want to actually smell like a normal person!" Sam snapped without thinking.

"Yeah, yeah princess, just get your butt out here…now!" Dean snarled through the wood.

Sam shook his head as he began to pull on the dark clothing; he'd never lashed out like that before…what was happening to him? He pulled open the door and managed to get one foot out before Dean slammed him into another neck lock.

"Don't ever talk to me like that again, maggot!" Dean hissed, wearing a sarcastic grin on his face.

"For god's sake, Dean! Either hug me or leave me the hell alone!" Sam croaked, bringing his fist up to punch Dean's face.

"Hug you? If I did that then you'd officially be a girl, jackass! Now let's go, smart aleck," Dean chuckled, letting Sam out of the neck lock.

Sam followed his brother's retreating back out the door and into the humid air outside. They strode around the back of the motel and came upon two black motorcycles. Dean walked up beside the one with jagged blue claw marks on the front and began to start the engine up. Sam approached the other black motorcycle, sporting a demonic skull on its front, and stood uncertainly next to it. Dean glanced at Sam over the purring of his motorcycle.

"What are you waiting for? Get on the damn thing and let's go!" Dean ordered.

Sam jerked, he'd been reminiscing about the black Impala Dean lovingly took everywhere. He climbed on and started the engine to avoid Dean asking if he was really right in the head. They rode out of the back lot and onto the burning pavement of the street, engines roaring as they sped up.

It had been thirty minutes of silence, filled with the rumbling of their motorcycles, before they came upon a lone abandoned building. It looked like it was in need of a good fixing, or demolition. The brothers pulled their bikes up and cut the engines. Dean motioned Sam to follow him inside. The inside was in worse shape than the outside, but Sam wasn't concerned with that anymore. He was focused on where Dean was leading him.

The building reeked of stale air and groaned at the slightest breeze. Sam's nerves were on edge as they reached the room at the back of the house. Dean put a hand on Sam's chest and looked at him with worry in his eyes. This was different from what Dean had been like previously.

"Sam, I know you have your differences with Mom, but try not to piss her this time. She's still a little angry about two vermin who tried to waste her the other week. Personally, I hate having to talk to her about anything and I know you do too, but for the sake of both of us just shut up and nod, ok?" Dean whispered to Sam.

Sam nodded, confused at what Dean had just told him. Dean flashed a small grin and pushed the door open revealing a lone woman standing at the window. She was a mirror image of the mother Sam had never known, except for her clothing which was black. She had her blonde hair up in a bun and held herself in a way that screamed "Don't mess with me".

She turned at the creaking of the door to see her two sons entering the room. Sam tried to get a better look at her, but she was shrouded in the shadows. Dean stepped beside Sam, wearing a blank face.

"Hello mother," Dean murmured respectfully.

"Yeah…hello mom," Sam gasped after getting an elbow jab to the side by Dean.

Their mother walked into the dreary beam of sunlight that had oozed through a crack in the boarded window. Sam nearly screamed in shock at the sight of her eyes.

"Hello boys, nice of you to visit your mother," She said smoothly in a tone that sent chills through the air.

She walked to touch Dean's face, a gesture of love possibly, before stopping at Sam. She repeated the motion, slower than Dean's, coming in a little closer. Sam wanted to cringe, there was no denying it, and he felt like all the hell he'd gone through with his real brother was nothing compared to the sight that met him. The realization was a shock unto itself and this was definitely no joke.

**His mother was the Yellow Eyed Demon…**


	5. Chapter 5

Sam felt his skin crawling as his mother stroked his face. He felt the acrid burn of vomit inching its way up his throat, Sam hoped he wouldn't hurl in front of Mary. His mother, somehow sensing his weakness, pulled back a little to scan her youngest son's face. Her yellow eyes flickering side to side before stopping at his eyes, drinking in his weakness. Sam saw her lip curl in distaste, but never saw the hand. She struck him with a sharp punch to the cheek and then slammed her foot into his leg, sending Sam sprawling onto the dirty floor.

Dean, still standing, looked at his mother with wary eyes before stooping to help his brother up. However, Mary had other plans. She grabbed Dean's dark shirt and yanked him harshly aside, throwing him against the wall. Dean blinked, _'What the hell is going on? I know she dislikes Sam the most, but she's never struck him like this.'_ Mary leaned in closer to Sam, pulling him close to look into his eyes before hissing angrily in Dean's direction.

"Give me the liquid, Dean," Mary whispered dangerously, holding out her hand.

"Mom, wait, isn't there some other way?" Dean stuttered, nervously fingering a small bottle.

"No sweetie, Sam needs to learn what Mommy does to weaklings," She purred icily.

Dean hesitantly handed the bottle to his mother, with fear etched onto his stern face. Sam had never seen this Dean act like this, now glancing at the bottle steadily nearing his torso. Mary grinned, finally getting the lid off the bottle, and poured its contents all over Sam. Nothing happened…at first. Sam felt queasy, then sick, until reaching a state of intense pain. He felt like he was on fire! Smoke began rising off his scalding body, Sam felt a scream rip out of his throat. _'Oh god, the pain! What the hell did she put on me!?'_ Sam's mind screamed pitifully.

Dean closed his eyes, trying to block out Sam's screams of agony. Nobody should ever have to go through this torture. Mary chuckled at her son, now curled into a tight ball and shaking violently. Weakness was not tolerated in her family; she would stamp all traces of "him" out of the young one.

"Feeling better sweetie?" She murmured, stroking Sam's head gently.

"What…the…HELL…was…that!?" Sam rasped, still curled to avoid anymore pain.

"Oh my little darling, you should know what it is," Mary sighed.

"Can't…remember…please," Sam wheezed, fearing more of the clear liquid.

"Well, too bad. Maybe your thick skull will figure it out eventually," Mary snarled.

"Dean, pick your brother up. I'm sick of talking to the floor," She snapped at her older son.

Dean moved quickly, carefully pulling Sam into an unbalanced standing position. He kept a firm grip on his younger brother in order to prevent him from collapsing back onto the dirty floor. Mary moved back into the slim beam of light filtering into the room.

"Now, onto the reason I called you two here. I've heard from a source that there is a going to be a gathering of vermin sometime soon. Personally, I want to find them and rip out their dirty necks, but they're not what we want," Mary started to say, pacing slightly.

"I've been looking non-stop for 'him' and have run into so many dead ends it's driving me mad. So, I'm throwing out all the stops. I've already taken the liberty of releasing all the demonic summon spells in my possession, so as long as you have these you'll be fine from their vicious parade through the city," Mary said firmly, giving each of the brothers demonic protection charms.

"Do you still want us to look for 'him', mother?" Dean inquired, hopeful that she'd let them have a chance.

"No, you two are the worst screw-ups. I don't want the both of you anywhere near my hunt. Now take your dumb ass brother and get out of my sight," Mary said venomously.

Dean was speechless, it wasn't fair. This was the only hunt she'd allowed them to do and now that she'd said to drop it he'd have drag his worthless younger brother around with him everywhere. He felt the heat rise to his cheeks, he wouldn't let this go. Unfortunately, Sam shifted causing him to snap out of his never-going-to-happen day dream. For once he felt bad for the runt; Sam was still smoking slightly and seemed to still be in intense pain. Sighing, Dean helped Sam through the doorway and into the main part of the old place. Sam, shaking his head painfully, caught a glimpse of his splotchy red complexion in a dirty mirror, but that wasn't what scared him the most. It was his eyes…they were midnight black…the sign of a demon. She'd thrown holy water on him, the only thing that could physically hurt one of demonic origin.

'_Oh god, why is this happening to me?'_ Sam's mind cried in despair.

He was a demon…just like mom.


	6. Chapter 6

Dean kept a steady hand on Sam as they exited the building. He hated to admit it, but Sam's silence was beginning to worry him. Sam usually had a fiery temper, spitting curse words as if they were his native tongue. However, Sam seemed to be out of it and come to think of it Dean had noticed Sam's new peculiar attitude. Where was his kick-ass brother? The brother, who, despite Dean's protests, always watched his back and didn't give a shit what vermin he killed. Dean scanned his smoldering younger brother, tempted to ask if he was alright…but, no…that would make him weak and weakness was unforgivable in the Winchester family. Sammy could suck it up or face ultimate pain, eagerly delivered by their mother.

Sam hated the burning feeling, every time he shifted too much it felt like a searing iron poker into his guts. But no amount of pain could mask the inner turmoil he was feeling that moment. How had a simple observation of a symbol gone so horribly wrong? Why was he here in this hellscape of a city with a brother who'd love to bury him six feet under? Why was everything cruelly twisted in a way that seemed impossible? Why…why...WHY!? Enough with the goddamn whys! It was clear Sam wasn't going to get answers by calmly waiting for them, so he would have to go and get them one way or another.

He turned his head painfully to the side, catching a glimpse of his demonic brother. Dean wasn't paying any attention to his "incapacitated" little brother. It was now or never. Sam jerked his arm free, surprising Dean for a moment, and slammed his older brother to the ground. Dean's face turned from blank to pissed off in seconds. Sam couldn't afford to let Dean get back up, mentally cursing himself Sam reached into his pocket and pulled out a small bottle. He'd nicked it when Mary had tossed it aside, never knowing he was pocketing the small bottle. It felt a little heavy, there was just enough for one last burn. Sam emptied the last of the bottle's contents onto Dean and stepped away with fists raised, just in case.

Dean looked at Sam in surprise before grabbing his chest with agony. The pain coursed through Dean like white lightning, causing him to writher and scream bloody murder. Sam couldn't take looking at his brother; he had to give him a mercy strike. Sam brought his boot down hard on Dean's skull, knocking the older brother out. Smoke was still rising off the older Winchesters body when he heard a creak of a floor board. Sam shifted, still numb with pain, to see Mary looking out a window to see the source of the noise. She screamed in fury and ran back through the house.

"Shit, I've got to get out of here!" Sam murmured urgently.

"Traitor, abomination of my flesh! You're…just…like…him!" Mary hollered from the depths of the house.

Sam had to hurry, she sounded closer that time. If he didn't burn rubber fast, she'd kill him without a doubt. He ran along side the building, dirt flying in all directions, and skidded to a halt in front of his bike. Sam started the ignition and sped out onto the scalding pavement. Mary's screeching echoed ominously behind him as Sam sped deeper into the city's bowels.

Sam remembered that Mary had said she'd released all her demonic summon spells into the city. He quickly checked for the small lump in his back pocket, oddly enough it comforted him. Sam ground his teeth in fury, now he was definitely alone and in a city swarming with old enemies. His only hope was to find some hunters and somehow persuade them to help him.

**Downtown Hades**

Sam pulled into an abandoned gas station; he needed to think about his next move. Dragging a hand through his hair, Sam puzzled over his latest problems, _'Okay first I turn up in a completely different place then I originally started out, my brother's pretty much an evil son of a bitch, hunters aren't exactly loved, oh and my mom's the thing I hate the most: The Yellow Eyed demon. Now, I'm pretty much screwed unless I find a hunter and get his help, which from the looks of things may not be possible.'_ Things couldn't get any worse for him now.

A muffled clank of a trash can brought Sam out of his bitter thoughts. Getting off the bike, he reached and pulled a small hand gun out of the side bag. Sam cautiously made his way to the source of the noise, praying it wasn't one of his mother's playmates. He peered slowly around the crumbling brick corner and was met with an empty alleyway. _'Great, now I'm hallucinating.'_ Sam scoffed to himself.

Sam was about to turn when he heard a metallic clink right behind his head. It didn't take a genius to know the sound of a gun being cocked to fire. Sam dropped his gun and moved his hands out to show he had no more weapons. He felt a hand check his pockets and his shirt, making sure he wasn't bluffing. The cold gun barrel was beginning to dig into Sam's skull, it didn't comfort Sam any.

"Turn around slowly demon and no funny business or I'll blow your damn brains out!" a hoarse voice ordered.

Sam slowly turned, complying with the man's orders. He was met with a familiar face, although he couldn't be sure it was friendly anymore. Sam smiled slightly, still holding his arms out as the hunter check his front pockets for hidden weapons. When the hunter finished he glanced into Sam's eyes, uncertain to why the demon was smiling at him.

"Hello Bobby," Sam finally whispered to the stern face.


	7. Chapter 7

Bobby held the gun poised at Sam's torso, Sam could see the veteran hunter's finger twitching slightly. He had to make his reason good, but how would Bobby take it? Would he believe Sam or shoot him down right away? Sam took a deep breath, thinking hard.

"Look demon, I'm asking two simple questions: How do you know my name and why should I let you live?" Bobby growled, squinting his eyes slightly.

"Um, this is going to sound odd, but we've actually met before. You helped me and my brother out on some hunts. As for me living, if you're willing to listen to my side of the story then you can decide whether or not it's good enough," Sam said calmly, still holding his hands up.

"I don't have to listen to a damn thing you say," Bobby snarled, stepping closer with the gun.

"True, but there has to be a part of you that's curious to what I have to say," Sam goaded gently.

Sam could literally see the hunter's mind churning the dilemma. If he listened to Sam he risked possibly getting attacked, but if he killed Sam now he'd never know what Sam wanted to say. Sam heard a light crunch of gravel behind him. He tensed, hoping it wasn't Dean…or his mother. Sam, for that moment, forgot about the gun being pointed at his chest. He spun to face his hidden assailant, fists raised.

"What the hell are you…?" Bobby said cautiously.

"Shut the hell up for a minute, Bobby! I think somebody's coming," Sam hissed at the older hunter.

Bobby fell silent, watching Sam with curious eyes. Why was this demon concerned with his well being? After all the destruction he and his older brother had caused…he seemed different, almost…human-like. It wasn't possible; every hunter knew the Winchester brothers were pure demons, so why was the youngest, known for his fiery hatred towards humanity, helping him. It seemed like a trick…maybe.

Sam strained his ears and heard the crunch again, closer this time. He took a step forward, still tense, and looked around the brick corner. A fist came soaring at his head; Sam leaped back barely avoiding his face being pulverized. It was none other than his dear brother, Dean. Except this Dean had red splotches all over his body…and he was pissed, severely. Sam jumped forward, grabbing Dean's hands, and twisted them to the side. He brought his leg up and smashed Dean's knee, temporarily weakening Dean's grip. Dean retaliated by head butting his little brother in the throat, Sam's eyes widened. Sam let go, choking for air…where the hell was Bobby? Sam was protecting the hunter; the least the guy could do is shoot a bullet or two. Dean was done playing; Sam glanced up noticing his brother's dark black eyes. _'Oh god, no…'_ Sam thought.

Dean pulled a knife out and brandished it in front of his little brother. It's wicked curve glittering in the sunlight. Sam could hardly breathe, but if that blade connected he'd be in serious trouble.

"What's the matter, Sammy? You had the guts to attack me with holy water and storm out on mom, what's a little knife to you?" Dean taunted, still brandishing the iron knife.

"Come on, Dean. Don't you think it's a little odd she'd tell us to shove off without actually giving a reason? Last time I checked she isn't exactly the most huggable person and unless you haven't noticed she's a badass demon," Sam wheezed furiously, keeping his distance from Dean.

"Oh my f***ing god! Mom was right, you are a weakling! No wonder she hurt you so bad back there, she smelled it and now you're in so deep not even begging can save you. She's pissed to high heavens, Sam, and me being the stronger son has to get rid of the weak baggage," Dean snarled, pointing the iron blade at Sam.

"Dean, it doesn't have to be this way. Mom's seriously f***ed up; I mean, come on, Dean! What the hell does she have against this place? Why are we killing hunters for no tangible reason? Why can't we just leave this goddamn place!?" Sam rasped, tears beginning to form as he vented to his older brother.

"You…you're just like 'him', no wonder mom always hated you," Dean spat out venomously.

"Dean…," Sam started to whisper.

"Shut up Sammy, you're dead to me," Dean said tonelessly, lunging at Sam quickly.

Dean grabbed onto Sam's body with his demonic strength pulling him into a body lock, this left Sam's torso exposed. Sam struggled, trying to break Dean's iron-clad grip. This did nothing, with a grunt Dean brought the knife down, stabbing Sam repeatedly…over and over, blood cascading down the young Winchester's clothes. Sam felt a familiar white hot burning as pure silver touched his skin, but it was replaced by a pain so intense he literally felt his body dying.

Sam felt the darkness creeping up onto him, the knife still being plunged into his torso repeatedly. He felt nothing, no more pain as his body began to fade to black. Was he meant to die this way? It seemed so unfair; he never got the chance to…

**-Click…Bang-**


	8. Chapter 8

_Blood pounding in my ears…torso…hurts so much…hm? Wait, where am I? Am I dead? No, pretty sure once you're dead you don't feel anymore pain. Dean was stabbing me…why do I hurt so much and why am I not dead?_

Sam shifted slightly, releasing a low moan of pain. He felt a cool cloth on his forehead, easing the raging heat he now felt. Sam's whole body protested any form of movement, but he couldn't stay down. He had to stop Mary…and Dean.

"Easy there boy, you don't want to agitate those wounds," a gruff voice said.

"Mmm, Dean…where…?" Sam croaked, slowly opening his eyes.

"Dean's not here, Sam. Bobby had to shoot Dean in the leg in order to free you. Sammy, you are lucky you're a demon otherwise you'd be dead right now," the gruff voice said tenderly.

Sam opened his eyes fully, blinking them into focus. Who was this man? Sam felt so comfortable around him. The room was dim, but Sam knew the minute his eyes focused on the figure in front of him…it was John. Sam felt tears of relief in his eyes; he blinked them back trying to keep his composure.

"Dad…why are you helping me? What Dean and I have done…god, you shouldn't even be near me. If mom finds us we're all dead!" Sam whispered painfully, trying to get off the make-shift bed.

"Sam, stay still and let me explain. Bobby told me what Dean said to you, about how you defied your mother. That takes guts, but that's not the only reason we helped you, Sam. We actually had an idea that you weren't the demonic Sam we've come to hate so much," John said, putting a tender hand gently on Sam's arm.

"What? What do you mean 'you knew', Dad?" Sam asked, confused.

"We were getting desperate, after much deliberation we decided to get help from other sources and that's where you come in, son. I know your mother's looking for me and so is Dean, but if you choose to help us get rid of those things she let loose in the city and stop her once and for all, the spell will send you home," John explained.

"Well gee, Dad. That doesn't really give me much of a choice, but I'm still going to say yes. No offense, but I miss my old life and want to go back to it. This place is hell compared to anyplace I've ever been to and personally I never want to see this place again," Sam muttered, dragging a weak hand over his face.

"Alright Sammy, you get some rest and we'll go on a hunt tomorrow," John chuckled, starting to get up.

Sam watched his father make his way towards the doorway; he'd never heard Dad come anywhere near to laughing. Sam grinned a little, hoping to God that this was the start of something good. But, he knew that it would be harder in the long run because Mary had it out for him and his father. A switch flicked on in Sam's brain, he reached for his back pocket searching for the talisman that would protect him from his mother's playmates…it wasn't there. _'Dean…you little…now I'm as vulnerable as the rest of the hunters. Dammit, now we're all without protection.'_ Sam thought angrily.

He couldn't wait any longer; Sam swung his legs painfully over the side of the small bed putting his feet on the cool wooden floor. It came from nowhere, the blinding pain exploded in his head. Sam let out a sharp breath, this may have been a vision, but they were never this intense…ever.

_Vision:_

_Sam was standing in the middle of an abandoned street, holding an iron rod tightly. His breath was labored, but most of all he was afraid. There was fire pouring from every building, burning cinders trailed into the night sky. The overpowering smell of sulfur caught his attention, forcing him to cover his mouth and nose. Sam could hear the screams of humans being killed mercilessly, he wanted to help them…but how?_

_Mary appeared from one of the burning buildings, smiling triumphantly at her pathetic son. She was dragging a body behind her, but the smoke prevented Sam from seeing._

"_Well, well, the traitor returns. What made you think you could save him…when you couldn't even save yourself?" She grinned, revealing sharp teeth._

_She threw the body forward, upon seeing who it was, Sam fell to his knees tears pouring down his face. The body was that of his father's…_

_End Vision._

"NOOO!" Sam screamed out loud, unaware of what he was doing.

He opened his eyes and found himself face to face with John. _'How'd I get out of my room?'_ Sam wondered, confused. He noticed his fist was raised into the air, slightly red from hitting something. Sam glanced at his father, noticing swellings all over John's face.

"Oh god, Dad…I…I don't know what hell just happened," Sam whispered, dropping his arm.

"It's okay Sammy, you were having a vision I take it?" John asked calmly.

"Yeah…I think so. Dad, I'm so sorry," Sam said, scanning his father for anymore damage.

"Dammit John, the demonic son of a bitch just tried to smash your face in. I personally don't think he's really changed much," Bobby snapped, walking into the room with his gun raised.

"Bobby, that 'demonic son of a bitch' is my son and I'm well aware of what just happened. Sam used to get these kinds of violent visions when he was little, I can handle it," John said sternly.

Sam watched the two hunters argue a little longer before Bobby gave up and huffed into the next room. Sam met John's eyes, they were kind and caring, the kind of eyes he'd always wanted to see. _'No, I won't let that vision come to pass…I'll protect him even if it means dying…'_ Sam thought firmly.


	9. Chapter 9

Sam wanted so many things, but he feared he would never get any of them. He'd been in Hades for what seemed like days; Sam was beginning to lose hope. His mother was the yellow-eyed demon, past enemies were running rampant throughout the city, and to top it off he and Dean were demons! I mean, what's a guy to do? Give up? No, that wasn't what Sam was about, he would go out fighting and win…by any means possible.

Sam was standing on top of the rundown building where the hunters were residing. The wind ruffled his hair ominously, as if to say a storm was coming. He stared at the sunrise, a gash of fire across the sky, and let out a weary sigh. A new day would bring a different problem; this seemed to be Hades' way of saying, _"If you can't stand the heat, then die."_

"Sam? Something on your mind?" asked a familiar voice.

"I'm just…just trying to piece things together. It's still too much information, not to mention everything I know has been ripped to shreds," Sam said, tilting his head to see his father step next to him.

"Well, I'm not going to pat your shoulder and say 'It'll be alright, Sammy'. You're a grown man and I know you can save this godforsaken city. I would be a terrible parent if I hid everything from you, Sam, so forgive me if I don't make the truth come out sweeter," John stated, wearing a stern grin.

"Why, though? Why me!? Why'd you have to go and f*** with my life!? I was pretty happy in my reality and then you drag me into this hell hole? What good can I do for a city that is on the brink of destroying itself? What, Dad? WHY AM I REALLY HERE!?" Sam spat out venomously, grabbing John's shoulder roughly.

"Sam, you need to calm down," John said gently.

"WHAT DOES IT MATTER? WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE ANYWAY, DAD! AND NO MATTER WHAT I SEEM TO ASK, NOBODY EVER ANSWERS ME! AM I A f***ING NOBODY!?" Sam yelled, shaking John's body fiercely.

"No Sam, you are a living person who is going to listen to his father for a few moments. Can you do that for me, Sam?" John asked, staring into Sam's black eyes.

"I…yes…," Sam murmured, eyes beginning to return to their original color.

"Good, now Bobby and I discovered that there are two supernatural monsters in the city that need to be taken care of first. If we can get rid of those two then it should be easier to get to your mother, alright?" John said carefully.

"Alright, so what are the two monsters we're hunting?" Sam asked, still slightly seething.

"Well, one of them has been confirmed: The Boogeyman. The other one hasn't been located yet," John said, leading Sam back into the building.

"The Boogeyman? Great, another childhood memory come back to bite me in the ass," Sam said sarcastically.

Inside, Sam was met with the icy glare of Bobby, who still didn't completely trust him. John walked forward and began handing out weapons and protective spells. Bobby snorted at the meager pile of ammo on the table.

"That's not going to last for too long, John. Not unless your boy is willing to use some of his demonic abilities," Bobby said with a cruel smile directed at Sam.

"Bobby, we'll make it work," John said, shooting a warning glare at his old friend.

"Fine," Bobby spat out, beginning to head out the doorway.

John cast a reassuring look at Sam, who returned it with a fake smile. Sam walked out of the building, hearing the sharp bang of the wooden door as John closed it. Sam had a bad feeling about this hunt, but then ever since he got here he seemed to get those a lot.

Pavement crumbled under the trio's boots as they cautiously made their way through a stretch of abandoned buildings. The sense of being watched was strong, but they were unable to pin-point the source. They should have stopped when the feelings began, but they were foolish and for that they would pay the price reserved for those who did not trust their instincts. Sam froze; he'd heard something coming from a building. It was slowly getting louder as the continued deeper into the city. He could hear it clearly now and from the looks on the other hunter's faces, so could they. Like the lyrics to a bad horror movie, they rang true:

"…_when he comes,_

_count to five_

_and pray that you are still alive…"_

Sam turned toward the song, his body rigid and ready for the upcoming fight, but what he saw was nothing he'd ever seen before…especially in his own reality. This would be harder than he thought, but when was it ever easy? Never.


	10. Chapter 10

There were hundreds of phantom children, standing menacingly together. They gave off a dim pearly glow, this revealed the thing Sam and the other two hunters had come for…The Boogeyman. Sam could feel Bobby shift uncomfortably beside him, while his father sighed lightly. The Boogeyman stood tall among the ghostly children, the dry and rotting flesh covering his body made him seem more intimidating. Sam grimaced; they were out numbered and were low on ammo, even if they managed to retreat it wouldn't matter…he'd have to use the demonic power that flowed through him like poison. But, that was the worst case scenario…and unfortunately possibly the only scenario.

"Damn, I heard the Boogeyman was stealing the souls of children, but I never imagined he had this many. This is going to be harder than I thought," Bobby murmured to John.

"We'll just take it one step at a time, Bobby. I'm not one for allowing a retreat, but there are certain circumstances that force me. If we can get out of this area of abandoned buildings, we should be alright…assuming the Boogeyman hasn't taken children from other parts of the city," John whispered to Bobby and Sam.

"Dad, if you need me to…to use my powers. I will, just let it be when we really need it," Sam said softly to his father.

Sam could feel the surprised stares of both the veteran hunters. He was grateful Bobby hadn't made a sarcastic response to his offer. Sam felt a pit of gloom settle into his stomach as both hunters nodded slightly in agreement. Pushing it aside, Sam began to inch backwards down the street. He heard the crunch of gravel as they inched slowly away from the massive group of phantom children. He could feel the Boogeyman watching him intently, noticing a slight smile tugging at the jaw line of the creature.

"Dad, I…" Sam began to murmur, but was cut off abruptly by a sharp punch to the side of his head.

"Sam!" John yelled, pulling his gun up to aim.

"Dammit John, he can take care of himself! Unless you didn't notice, those phantom children are coming at us!" Bobby shouted, gesturing to the massive wave of pearly white.

John cast a worried glance at his young son, who gave him a sharp nod of assurance. The two veteran hunters began to run back up the street, guns firing at anything that got too close to them. Meanwhile, Sam was shaking his head trying to get rid of the blinding dizziness. It didn't take a person with brains to know who had punched him so lovingly. Sam glanced up, meeting the scowling face of his older brother.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here? A traitorous piece of shit that's going to die…slowly," Dean hissed, leaning in with a fist raised.

"Gee Dean; I didn't think you smart enough to find me. I mean, you wouldn't have if your buddy Mr. Childhood-Nightmare hadn't shown up," Sam retorted, still smarting from the punch.

"Got to give it to you Sammy, you sure fooled me. I mean, all this time I thought you were on the winning side, but truly you're with the vermin on the losing side…pathetic," Dean said, his lip curling in distaste.

"Well, we can't all be the brightest crayon in the box," Sam snorted, shifting slightly.

"Wait, wha…?" Dean started, but was slammed with a metal rod in Sam's hand.

Sam, unknowing to Dean, had grabbed onto a metal rod to slow his fall after being punched. Once the dizziness went away, it proved to be a good weapon against his brother's punches. He was sick and tired of this city. Sam furrowed his brow in concentration as the two circled each other. Dean had a cut on his forehead from the metal rod; it began to free bleed down the side of his face. Sam also kept a watchful eye on the Boogeyman, who was still standing there silently.

"What's the matter, Sammy? Feeling the pressure yet?" Dean grinned menacingly.

Sam did indeed feel the pressure; it was going to be hard getting rid of the both of them. But he would somehow pull through it, he had no more options. Sam charged Dean, swinging the rod in a sharp arc to his brother's torso. Dean twisted away, sending Sam on a crash course to the Boogeyman. The hit connected, causing the creature to howl in fury. It brought a sharp hand up and slammed Sam across the face.

Sam was covered in dirt, grim, and was now sporting a split lip. He felt a sharp pain in his side, a possible rib fracture…but it meant nothing to him. The Boogeyman struck him again, cutting Sam's cheek in the process. Dean was laughing at him; Sam could hear it echoing through the empty buildings. Sam felt an anger so intense it could only be blamed on his demonic side. He felt the power surging through his body, making him stronger. He knew his eyes were now midnight black, but he didn't care…he felt, good.

Dean stared in wonder as Sam stood, black eyes seething with hate. He could feel a power he himself didn't possess…and it scared him. Dean threw a strong punch at Sam's face, only to be sent flying to the ground with bone shattering force. This couldn't be the same little Sammy he'd grown up with…something was different.

Sam picked the rod up and with terrifying force brought it down onto Dean, who barely managed to dodge it. He heard two gunshots make contact with the Boogeyman. Turning he saw Bobby firing the lethal bullets into the nightmarish creature, giving Sam a brief nod of support as he was soon joined by John. Grinning cruelly, Sam turned to face his injured brother, now nursing a broken arm. Dean met his brother's eyes with defiance; he wouldn't die like a baby…although even he had to admit he was impressed by his little brother's power.

"Sammy?" Dean whispered, to his disgrace, painfully.

"It's Sam, asshole," Sam snapped, bringing the rod down on Dean's head.


	11. Chapter 11

Dean was unconscious, lying in a pathetic heap on the dusty pavement. The metal rod in Sam's hand rested loosely in its owner's palm. Sam still had a gloating grin on his face, demonic energy surging through his veins. He'd shown Dean, he'd shown his older brother that he wasn't weak…or useless. Sam turned his head towards the two hunters, watching as the Boogeyman finally crumpled to dust howling in outrage. The phantom children, faded into a silvery mist finally able to carry onto the afterlife. So why wasn't the demonic power going away? Sam still felt an acidic anger churning throughout his body, he wanted to hurt…to kill. _'No. What am I thinking? Kill? No, this power's doing something to me…'_ Sam pondered lightly, still caressing the metal rod.

John began to come over to Sam, wanting to see if his youngest was hurt in anyway. But, a warning glance from Bobby made him freeze in his footsteps. Sam's eyes were midnight black and the muscles in his son's body were tense, not to mention a low growl was being emitted from Sam's throat. John glanced at Bobby, gently waving him to step back a little before John himself took another step forward.

"Sam? Son, if you can hear me you need to control the urges. I know they're tempting, but you need to calm down. It won't do us any good if we have to shoot you in the leg to make you quiet and less dangerous," John said soothingly, hands raised slightly.

Sam wasn't an idiot, he knew about the urges and how tempting they were…damn, it is hard though. He was also aware of the fact they needed to get Dean's useless sack of demonic flesh back to the building they had taken up residence temporarily. Sam let out a menacing growl, turning his head down in order to focus. He began to feel the power drain away, turning his head slightly Sam noticed a difference in his appearance. The usual black eyes were there, but…where had he gotten these teeth from? There were two sharp fangs on the top and bottom jaws…was this part of his demonic inheritance?

Unfortunately, Sam couldn't dwell on this for too long because it became apparent he was extremely tired. It seemed, that the demonic powers acted like a sort of adrenaline…giving him strength and power for however long he needed before taking a tiring toll on his body. He began to slump forward, but thankfully Sam fell into the helping hands of Bobby and his father. Sam could feel the reassuring squeeze of his father's hand on his shoulder and a steady trusting grip from Bobby on his other shoulder.

"Easy now, Sam. Give it a few seconds," John said, keeping Sam propped up.

"Yeah, personally I don't want to have to carry your sorry ass all the way back with the added weight of that dumb ass over there," Bobby said, jerking a thumb in Dean's direction.

"Well, we wouldn't want that…Okay dad, I'm good now. Let me help carry Dean, at least I can use this strength for something good," Sam murmured with a grin.

"Alright then, we'd better go before your mother comes to see who won," John sighed as he began to walk down the long stretch of road.

They fell into step, John leading followed by a grumbling Bobby and ending with Sam dragging an incapacitated Dean behind him. The sun was almost gone when they finally arrived at the building. Closing the door behind them, they set to tying Dean to a steel chair being careful not to harm his broken arm. John checked to see all the chains were tight before re-setting Dean's broken arm into a tough make-shift cast.

Sam watched quietly in the corner, praying Dean would understand once he woke up. However, he knew this Dean enough to be aware that he wouldn't take it too well. Sighing inwardly, he followed his father into the kitchen area where Bobby stood counting the weaponry and ammo.

"So how much ammo do we have left?" Sam asked, dreading the answer.

"Just enough to kill one malevolent spirit, meaning we don't have a sufficient supply of ammo to take care of the next high level creature and Mary. We're really screwed here," Bobby growled in response.

"We'll make do, Bobby. We just need to keep track of what we use," John said, rubbing a tired hand over his face.

"Well this is just great, John. We're not even sure what kind of creature we're going up against and you say 'We'll make do'? Do you need to be reminded that there are no gun supply shops here? What we have won't even make a dent in a low level demon!" Bobby said, slamming a furious hand onto the table.

Sam listened to the conversation the best he could, but he couldn't shake the prickling feeling on the back of his neck. What was that feeling? It wasn't coming from Dean, he was still slightly unconscious. So where was it coming from?

"Sam? Are you with us?" John asked from across the room.

"Wha…yeah, dad. I've just been feeling something's not right. I'm not sure, it could just be nerves," Sam said, shrugging.

"Well I'll be damned! We have a psychic Spiderman over there!" Bobby said sarcastically, throwing his hands up in frustration.

Normally Sam would have retaliated with a snappy comment, but the look on his father's face made him stop. It was a look that said 'Oh no, I've been caught'. While Bobby continued to make aggravated noises in the background, Sam's mind wandered back to the fangs he'd had when using the demonic powers. They were…_'Oh God…'_ Sam thought as it finally clicked. How could he have been so stupid to think it was from his demonic side? What if it had come from his father…?

John noticed the surprised look on Sam's face. He knew he'd been discovered, grinning he picked up a spare rifle. Bobby had stopped pacing angrily in the background; he was confused to why John had just picked up the gun.

"Well, well, Sam. It seems like we have a problem, now don't we?" John murmured, his eyes flickering dangerously.

"Yeah, you could say that," Sam said, cautiously fingering the metal rod he'd brought back with him.

"Well, guess you don't have to worry about finding the next high level creature because he's right here," John smiled, showing sharp fangs.

Bobby snapped his gun up and took aim. Sam pulled the iron rod up and held it steady for attack. Bobby had a small frown on his face, still shocked from this revelation. Cocking the gun, he let out an angry sigh.

"I hate vampires…," Bobby growled, firing his gun.


	12. Chapter 12

For once, Sam was thankful for his demonic reflexes, they allowed him to move faster than the average human. This gave him the added advantage over Bobby's shooting skills…which thankfully weren't dead accurate. Sam snapped the metal rod at his father's leg, causing him to buckle a fraction before the gunshot was fired. The bullet, grazing Sam's shoulder, lodged itself firmly in the ancient kitchen wall. Sam glanced down at his father, tears threatening to pour down his face, and proceeded to use the rod to disarm Bobby. The gun clattered to the floor, leaving Bobby to only hold his hands up in surrender. Sam could see burning hatred coursing through the veteran hunter's eyes; he couldn't understand the youngest Winchester's blind faith in his father…who was a vampire!

John caught Sam's eye, searching his son's face for ay kind of trick that would lead to his demise…but found none. It seemed Sam was sparing him…for now and John would take advantage of this gift. Getting up, John dusted his clothes. He was fully aware that Sam still had the sharp metal rod in his hands, but was unconcerned with that. John gave a short nod and turned to open the door to the dangerous city beyond.

"Sam, don't hate me for what I am. But I did what I had to do to insure Mary wouldn't win. I leave now, fully aware I may die by her hands, but at least I'll know you will still be here to stop her. I may not be good, Sam, but I'm not so evil that I won't come to your aid if you need me," John whispered, his face creasing gently.

"Dad, I…," Sam said hoarsely.

"Not now Sam, the tables have turned on us. There is no more time, in the coming battle you will have only one thing they don't have…a heart. That is what will send you home," John stated, opening the door wide.

"I'm gonna be sick, somebody get me a f***ing paperbag!" Bobby snarled quietly, breaking the father-son moment.

"Oh, and Sam…I owe you a life," John chuckled flashing a sharp-toothed smile as he closed the door behind him.

Sam stared at the door briefly before turning to an angry Bobby. He knew the hunter might not fully trust him ever again, but one thing was for sure…they were in this mess together, whether or not Bobby liked it. Sam turned his head to the room Dean was in, the sound of scuffling could be heard behind the closed door. It was time to have a chat with his dearest brother, Dean. Leaving Bobby to seethe in the kitchen, Sam opened the door to the small room. Dean had been trying to scoot towards a boarded window, but with no success.

"Obviously you don't know how to escape without causing some sort of noise," Sam said, grinning at Dean's feeble attempt to escape.

"Obviously you just need to SHUT UP! Because once I get out of this, your ass is mine!" Dean roared, straining against the chains.

"As much as I am disturbed by your fascination with my ass, we've actually got to talk about something serious. It involves Mom and her little plan to destroy the city," Sam said with a stern grin.

"Why the hell would I tell you anything about Mom?" Dean asked, glaring at his younger brother.

"Because, she thinks you're helping me now. Think about it Dean, the Boogeyman's dead, I'm still alive…and you? You're nowhere to be found. Very suspicious if you ask me. So, either you tell me what I need to know and help me stop her…or I chuck your ass back onto Mom's doorstep, where she definitely WILL kill you," Sam stated, watching his older brother's face.

Panic spread through Dean's body, Mom wouldn't hurt him if he came back…would she? He had to admit Sam was right…the odds were against him. If he took the deal, Mom would definitely shred him to pieces…but if he didn't she'd do that anyway. At least with one of those choices, he still had a fighting chance…

"Fine, but I won't like it…," Dean said through gritted teeth.

"Good, now tell me what I want to know and I'll take off your chains," Sam said, inwardly sighing with relief.

"Well Sammy, I think you were told wrong about Mom's intentions. She could care less about this shit hole of a city. Don't act surprised, she's been searching for a way out of this reality for a long time now and ever since Dad did some spell on you she's been on high alert," Dean started out, sighing darkly.

"Wait, Dean, she wants to escape into MY reality!? And she knows I'm not her Sam!?" Sam yelled, panic creeping into his voice.

"She's not an idiot Sam. She's known for awhile now and ever since she's been looking for the place Dad used to summon you," Dean said, casting a curious glance at Sam, who was holding his head in his hands.

"No, no…she can't escape there, Dean. I can't let her get out; I'd rather die than let her get into my reality. Oh god, my brother doesn't know!" Sam shouted, standing suddenly.

"Your brother? You mean there's another me in your reality?" Dean asked genuinely interested.

"Yeah, but you guys are more or less opposites in some areas," Sam said with a weak grin.

Sam couldn't stand it anymore, he needed to think. Bending over, he undid the chain fasting Dean to the chair. At that moment, Sam could've cared less if Dean had attacked him from behind or ran off…all that mattered to him was going onto the roof to mull the new information over in his head. Sam climbed the wooden stairs to the top of the building, opening the door he took in a deep breath of dry molten air. His mother had her sights on Sam's reality, but if she wanted it she would have to go through him...and he wasn't about to let her escape.

Because Hades was the perfect hell for a demon like her…


	13. Chapter 13

Sam could feel the burning fingers of the sun brushing his body as he stood on the grimy roof. So many things to consider, so many things…before that final moment when he put his vision to the test. But would Dean help him? It didn't seem likely, but a part of him wanted something to hope for…someone to trust. He could smell smoke in the air, something was burning. Grimacing, Sam squinted into the horizon hoping to see the source.

A loud bang jolted Sam; he'd forgotten that Dean was down in the building. He could hear the huffing breath of his older brother, followed by a light curse at the long staircase. Sam knew Dean was watching him, calculating the promise he'd made to his little brother. Had it been a good decision? Sam hoped so, but hope seemed to come in short supply in Hades.

"Hello princess, remember me? You know, that guy you tied up earlier? Yeah, he wants to know what we're going to do next," Dean said sarcastically as Sam turned to face him.

"Funny Dean, real funny. We first need to find the place Dad used when summoning me and pray mom doesn't find us before we do," Sam sighed, running a hand through his hair in concentration.

"Well that should be easy, numbskull. Think. Where was the place you last were before you came to this shit hole of a city?" Dean said, gesturing at Sam with a hand.

Sam didn't need to think hard about that, the old barn stood out like a firebrand in his mind. He knew Dean was waiting for an answer, but words seemed to fail him. Shoving past a confused Dean, Sam made his way downstairs to a still fuming Bobby. Bobby gave his familiar glare as Sam approached, but found he was ignored as the young Winchester made his way to the table were the ammo lay. Sam picked up a rifle and a packet of salt; silently he pushed his way out the door to his motorcycle.

"Sam! Where the hell do you think you're going? What part of 'Don't go out alone' do you not understand!? Sam!" called Dean's voice, muffled, from the stairwell.

This was something he needed to do alone, screw Dean, screw Bobby…this place was the symbol of all his pain. The place where it all started, Dean could follow if he wanted, but it was something that he needed to do. The bike roared up the pavement as Sam punched the accelerator, urgency building as he got closer and closer the ancient barn. It seemed too easy, the streets were empty and no sign of Mom…something was wrong. Sam kept an eye on the road, glancing every now and then at the side mirror. But there was no one following, not even a sound from the empty buildings…nothing.

Sam pulled up to the ancient building, still groaning in the wind. Hiding his bike, Sam walked into the building with the rifle gripped tightly in his hand. The air smelled of moldy straw and crusty dirt. Sam pushed his way through the crumbling doorway and was met with a surprising sight…Mom standing over his father's lifeless body. Anger boiled over, he knew his eyes were black…and didn't give a damn…

"BITCH!" Sam howled, firing the rifle at her.

She nimbly dodged the rifle fire, laughing viciously at her son's agony. He was so pathetic…like father, like son…both worthless. She'd had so many plans for little Sammy, but then she found out he was part vampire…an abomination. Oh well, she'd thought angrily at the time…there was still Dean, though he wasn't as strong as Sam.

Sam wanted to so badly hurt her, to watch her scream in agony…to bleed. It didn't help that in his rage, the bullets had hit some old gasoline canisters…damn. The explosion threw him out the side of the fragile barn, smashing through the wooden boards. When Sam hit the pavement, he looked up to find hoards of demons and spirits circling menacingly. He heard a laugh and shifted to see his mother tossing his father to the ground.

"Well, well, the traitor returns. What made you think you could save him…when you couldn't even save yourself?" Mary grinned wickedly.

"No…," Sam stared in horror.

"SAM! CATCH!" called a voice from behind.

Sam spun around and caught the iron rod thrown at him, it was Dean and Bobby. A brief feeling of relief surged through him; Dean had a pissed off scowl as he helped his younger brother up.

"Asshole, how can I help you if you go head first into a badass fight alone?" Dean said gruffly.

"We're knee deep in a whole lot of shit, Sam. We've got to get through this…and then I'll shoot you in the ass for letting John go," Bobby smirked, lifting his own rifle.

"DEAN!? WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH HIM!?" Mary hissed, at her eldest.

"Well, it would appear to look like I'm helping him," Dean said sarcastically.

"You…you traitor, I'm your mother! Don't help that abomination; he's not really your brother!" Mary growled, pointing viciously at Sam.

"Yeah, I know and guess what? I still love his crazy-ass, so in all niceness mom: Go to Hell," Dean spat, pointing his gun at his mother.

Sam glanced all around him, the fire from the old barn had spread to neighboring buildings…everything was on fire. His vision, was like this…now was the time to end this nightmare.

Now was the time to Fight, or **Die…**


	14. Chapter 14

**(****Author's Note****: There is a sequel to this AU FanFiction, but I'm only going to post it if people are actually interested in reading it. Hope everyone liked this story. It's one of my firsts. Thank you!)**

Everything seemed to blur, that moment seemed to burn itself into Sam's mind. A cruel reminder of what Hades symbolized…the true essence of "Survival of the Fittest". The smell of sulfur was strong, seeming to draw strength from the intense fires all around. Sam gripped the metal rod tightly, feeling slightly comforted now that Dean and Bobby was here with him. That comfort was ill-fated…and that's when all hell broke loose.

It was mass chaos pushing the three apart, no matter what they did the crowds of supernatural entities kept on overpowering. Sam caught a faint glimpse of Dean ripping a demon's arm off and kicking it in the face. He could no longer see Bobby, but felt his stubbornness wouldn't let him die that easy. Sam saw Mary standing at the edge of the pandemonium, grinning smugly at what seemed to be an easy victory.

Sam fought, using his demonic abilities and hunter skills. At one point he felt the pressure of the enemy weighing down on him; however it seemed that luck was with him…for now. Sam collided with Dean, who was panting fiercely.

"I've just got to say this Sam: You just love to piss all the WRONG people off, don't you?" Dean rasped, flinging a steel knife at the chest of another vampire.

"What can I say? They love me, they really love me," gasped Sam, smashing a fist into what he hoped was a demon.

"Yeah, yeah…well princess, I hate to be the burr in your ass, but if we don't get help…we won't be walking out of this alive," Dean grunted, jamming another salt shell into his gun.

"I know…hey, have you seen Bobby?" Sam wondered, earning a fist into his ribcage.

"Nah, I think that coward ran when the crowd came to greet us…if you know what I mean," Dean growled, jerking his head in a vague direction.

Sam didn't have to be a super genius to know that Dean was getting tired; weariness was beginning to drag at his own limbs as well. If Bobby had left them…then they may lose and that just wasn't an option. There was a lot at stake, screw Bobby…they needed to win this whether or not they both died in the process.

The crowd of supernatural drones kept coming, seemingly endless. That's when it all stopped. Sam stood there next to Dean gasping for breath, wondering what the hell was going on when he saw it…or rather them. A large crowd of hunters stood at the opposite side of the field of battle. Dean was grinning and Sam let out a giant sigh of relief. Bobby stood at the front, holding two rifles locked and loaded for battle. Sam could hear Mary's howls of fury echoing through the inferno of the buildings. Bobby gave him a nod of much needed trust, raising one gun in the air he signaled the hunters to be ready. The demonic entities were beginning to shift again, with this Bobby brought the gun sharply down alerting the hunters into a courageous charge towards what may be certain death…and yet they didn't fear it, they welcomed the chance to kill the thing that wanted them all dead.

Guns fired, knives flashed in the firelight, salt sprinkled through the gloomy air, and the yell of the hundreds of hunters thundered through the dying city. Dean, rejuvenated after the brief rest, was back to annihilating anything that touched him or another hunter. Sam seemed to avoid being attacked by anything, this was Mary's doing…she wanted the trouble maker, she wanted Sam. He began his swift run towards Mary's dark figure, the sound of people screaming in pain and victory swirling around his head. He couldn't let this reach his reality, nobody should no this agony…this hell.

She stood there, beside herself with glee. Finally, revenge was hers…now Mary just had to kill the boy and all her troubles would be gone. Mmm yes, that sounded delicious…she could almost taste his tainted blood on her lips. A life given, was about to be taken. So come little boy, come to mother dearest…

Sam could see her; a grin etched her flawless face…the mother he had come to hate so much. Bringing the metal rod up into a deadly arc, Sam put as much force as he could into, what he hoped, the final blow. But it seemed Mary wasn't in the losing mood, she twisted nimbly out of the way. Bringing her fist crashing into Sam's skull with brutal force, it sent him crumbling to the ground. Sam was vulnerable to her merciless kicks, stomps, and demonic powers.

Pain exploded through Sam's body as tried, and failed, to defend himself from her wrath. Blood was dripping from his mouth as his eyes flickered around the surrounding area. Fiery infernos, choking smoke and sulfur, and hunters…dying…screaming…as if they were nothing. Dean had two other demons in his famous neck lock, he caught Sam's eye and began to furiously pound away demons to get to his little brother. Sam grinned slightly, blood dripping onto the pavement from his mouth. His demonic powers were fading, he felt weaker than normal…he felt…human.

Dean came barreling at Mary from the side, catching her by surprise and sending her sprawling into filthy trashcans. He turned and kneeled by his little brother, lightly picking him up for wound inspection. Seeing nothing fatal, he helped Sam to his shaky feet.

"Sam now would be the time to go super-demon like you did on me and kick Mom's crazy ass. We're running out of time, if she gets through that spell seal then your reality screwed…big time," Dean panted, glancing around to where Mary had fallen.

"Yeah, I'm trying Dean. It's just not working, I'm not mad enough for it to kick in and take over," Sam groaned wearily, his body protesting every movement.

"Dammit, she's gone. We've got to go after her NOW, Sam," Dean growled, tugging his younger sibling along behind him.

Fear crept through Sam, what if she got through? No, leave those thoughts behind…think angry…think furious. She killed John and she'd love to destroy everything he held dear. Anger began surging through Sam, as the burning memory came back clearer than before. Mary standing over John's lifeless body…that damn—BITCH! He felt the reassuring rush of demonic power surging throughout him, turning his eyes a deep black and sharpening his teeth. He threw a burst of speed, out running a now grinning Dean.

The ancient barn stood forlornly in the distance, still creaking wearily and curiously enough, not on fire. Mary was in there, which was the only reason the building was safe. Dean grabbed Sam's arm pulling him to the side.

"Sammy, I know I'm not one for chick flick moments, but know that I'd do anything to get you home and safe. You alright in my book, runt," Dean said, gently squeezing Sam's arm.

"Some things never change, even in another reality. Thanks Dean, now let's go kick her ass!" Sam murmured, dark eyes reflecting a smiling older brother.

"Spoken like a true Winchester," Dean chuckled, following Sam swiftly.

They made it to the back of the barn, where the symbol was now blazing brightly. Mary stood in front, holding out a grimy hand…waiting to be taken to Sam's reality. Sam slammed into her, kicking, hitting and stomping at her as she hit the ground. In a small part of his mind it felt wrong to be hitting his mother, but when that went up against everything she'd done to him…it was outweighed ten times over. Dean grabbed his arm, jerking him from the crumpled figure of Mary.

"Sam! The spell's fading you need to go NOW! Screw her; if it fades away you're stuck here forever!" Dean yelled urgently.

"What about you!? Dean, I can't leave you here…not with her! Come with me, please!" Sam said, sorrow creeping its way into his voice.

"Someone's got to make sure she doesn't try this again, Sammy. Please, go before she wakes up," Dean said softly, shoving Sam towards the spell symbol.

Tears were streaming from Sam's now clear eyes; the fire from a neighboring building had spread to the old barn. Dean knew this and continued to urge him to the symbol. Sam's fingers made contact with the symbol, and felt the familiar sensation pulling him home. Dean's face faded, but not before whispering, _"I'll never forget you, Sammy."_


End file.
